Zootopia: Meeting the Family
by Clayton Overstreet
Summary: Judy takes Nick to meet her family. Pity them.


I don't own these characters or profit from them. Part of this story is based on Eric Scwartz's Zootopia comics. Because they are darn good.

Zootopia: Meet the Family

By, Clayton Overstreet

Judy Hopps drove at a snail's pace towards her family's farm. Beside her in the passenger seat Nick was smirking. Though inside he was just as nervous. It was just easier to taunt Judy about the whole thing than try dealing with his own uncertainty. At the moment he wore his usual green shirt and pants while Judy wore a blue flannel top and skirt. She looked pretty in the sunlight. Also like she wanted to open the door and run screaming over the horizon.

"You know Carrots, I'm beginning to see how a tortoise could beat a hare in a race. I'm pretty sure three have passed us already."

She glared at him. "Easy for you to say. Your parents aren't around." She paused. "Sorry. I didn't mean…"

"I know what you meant. You're ashamed of me."

She went back to glaring. "Of course I am. I've met you. Your best friend is a fully grown fox you used to push around in a baby stroller."

"And he likes you. What's to worry about?" She sat there quietly. "Don't' tell me you are still mad. I didn't mean to answer your phone by mistake. Anyway I lied my way out of it just fine when your parents asked why I had your phone."

Judy felt her cheeks heat up, blushing through her fur. Yeah, that had seemed like a close one. Closer than she thought actually. She and Nick had been in bed at his place. The fox had groggily answered her phone. He had quickly realized what he had done and made up a story about accidentally swapping phones with his partner. All while quietly keeping Judy, who had woken up and freaked out, from snatching the phone back and having to explain why she was in bed at a fox's apartment.

Or so they thought.

Turned out her parents had on the video seen Judy's ears bouncing up and down nervously behind Nick's head the whole time. After raising thirty-one children of their own (often joking that Judy had two-hundred or so siblings) they were good at keeping a straight face. Judy had thought she was in the clear until the next day her mother had sent her a text. Judy had almost exploded on the spot.

She just knew they had spent the whole day in between discussing it. Deciding whether to act like they had believed the excuse. The fact that they did not was both slightly relieving and incredibly alarming. Sure they had partnered up with Gideon Grey, but that was a business deal and they had known him since they were kids.

"It's not like I never planned to tell them you and I were dating," Judy said. "I just… wanted to break it carefully. In a way that would mean they wouldn't totally freak out."

"Yeah… how was that going to work?" She said nothing. "I get it, I do. I mean if we're grading on a curve from slightly uneasy around predators to hatching a maniacal plan to destroy us all, you're definitely on the low end of the curve. And the way you're all nervous when we're close but determined to power through is kind of hot actually…" Judy couldn't help smiling. "I guess it's just weird."

"What is?"

"I've seen you knock out rhinos. Chase down panthers. Go up against lions. You walked through a whole prison just last weekend to deliver a gift basket to an incarcerated lion."

"Well his mammal inclusion program really was a good idea… even if he did wrongfully incarcerate some innocent citizens."

"Right. All that doesn't bother you. Then you start stressing because your parents found out I'm your boyfriend. I thought you said they were cool with that fox neighbor of yours."

"Yes, but my dad's also the one who gave me the fox spray," Judy said. "Among other things." She looked at him. "How would your parents have reacted?"

Nick shook his head. "No clue. We're Disney characters. One of us had to have dead parents. You should count yourself lucky both of yours are alive to care one way or the other." She raised an eyebrow. "To tell you the truth I don't know. I mean on the one paw my parents would not be worried about you eating me. On the other… I think they would be worried about what other people might say." He shrugged. "Then again in Zootopia it's not exactly unheard of. Like you said my old partner already likes you, Clawhauser had a huge crush on Gazelle, Bogo doesn't really give a darn about much of anything least of all whatever relationship we have…" He had actually said so as the overweight leopard who ran the welcome desk at the station had caught Nick and Judy making out in the records closet. His only concern was to warn them of the massive amount of cameras in the building. "...and the rest of the cops have just decided to ignore it. Even those loudmouth neighbors of yours only complained about the noise we made."

"Which is kind of ironic," Judy muttered. "Look I just never imagined having to have this conversation with them. I've got fifteen older brothers and sisters and fifteen younger. At least three of them are gay. There's little that can throw my mom and dad, but I always seem to be the one doing it. I told them I was going to be a cop. The first rabbit police officer in Zootopia. The first member of my family to move to the big city. I had a few predator friends growing up, but…"

Nick looked at her and then said, "I love you Carrots."

She turned and stared at him wide eyed. "What brought that on?"

"We just passed a sign that said Hopps' Produce. Thought it might help to remind you."

She smiled and some of the tension left her shoulders. "It did. Thanks. Love you too Nick." She took a deep breath. "I really do." Nick reached over and took one of her ears between his paw pads and rubbed it. Judy moaned and her leg began thumping, making the truck jerk forward and slow. Batting his arm away she snapped, "Nick, not while I'm driving."

He considered asking if he could do it while her parents were watching, but let it go with a little smile. Besides her dad had an anti-fox arsenal lying around the place somewhere. Probably best to stay on his best behavior and torture Judy when they got back to the city. Frankly he just hoped to get through the weekend without Judy having to choose whether to help her family bury his body in a carrot patch somewhere.

A farmhouse was coming up on their left, at the end of a long dirt driveway. "Rules?"

"Don't call anyone cute, including you. No matter who calls you 'Jude the Dude' I'm not allowed to join in. And no predator-prey jokes or discussing anything we do in private." He looked at her as she drove up the dirt roadway towards the house. "How come you don't have rules?"

"I don't need them."

He considered. "Fair point."

"Oh and make sure you downplay how dangerous our jobs are. They worry about me enough as it is."

"But your first week on the job was so peaceful," Nick said with a smirk. "I wasn't sure which to start with. The fact that you blackmailed me, that your best girlfriend is the daughter of a mafia don who was going to ice us, or skip straight to the part where we were attacked by a feral panther thirty stories in the air."

The truck jerked to a stop. "I will end you wild."

"Relax Carrots, I'm just playing. Don't worry, I'll be a perfect gentleman and of they ask I'll stick to the soft stuff. Okay super cop?"

Judy sighed. "I'm sorry Nick. I know I'm putting a lot on you with all of this."

"Would it be any less stressful if I were a rabbit?"

"Yes." She smiled and put her paw on his. "But I wouldn't trade you for anything."

"Thanks Judy, I appreciate that." He paused. "You're still wondering if you could fool them by slapping a pair of bunny ears on my head, some fake teeth, and stuffing my tail in my pants."

"You know the guys in undercover… okay you're right. Sorry."

"Hey, I have two pounds of crocodile jerky in my luggage. Foxes are a little more omnivorous than most predators. I enjoy tofu a lot. I should be able to eat with everyone, but I'm going to need something to settle my stomach later."

Judy nodded. Nick was good about it but he needed the occasional egg, chicken, or other meat. It was not that unusual. She knew a lot of her predator neighbors had chicken coops and eggs and milk were both necessary for baking. She knew dozens of mother cows in the area who "worked" at dairies to make ends meet and Gideon was a pastry chef and all around baker. Even her mother had made pancakes occasionally growing up.

Before she could say anything one way or the other the truck was suddenly surrounded. Three dozen bunny kids ranging from older teens down to toddler surrounded the vehicle thumping on the doors and chattering loudly.

"I thought you only had fifteen younger siblings."

"I do. The rest are cousins, nieces, nephews, and some neighbor kids."

"I think I've seen a horror movie like this," Nick said.

Giggling Judy said, "Just remember, they can smell fear."

He thought it was a joke, but as soon as he stepped out of the truck Nick found himself hung with rabbits like an orange x-mas tree. He froze and the kids began rapid fire questions. "Are you Judy's boyfriend? Is it true you're a cop? Did Judy steal the truck to elope with you? Are you staying the night? Will you sit by me at dinner? Are you gonna eat us? Is it true foxes go around at night marking their territory? Your fur is soft! Can you swing from trees with your tail?"

It soon became white noise until Judy came around and clapped her paws. The sound was muffled since bunnies don't have paw pads. Still the rabbits had good hearing so they all turned to her. "Alright, you all get off and go play. Don't make me do the thing."

"What thing?" Nick asked.

Smiling she reached over and rubbed her brothers and sisters' heads. Then she stuck out one finger and touched one of them. Suddenly there was a crack and all of their fur, including Nick's, stuck out in every direction from the static charge. "That."

The kids jumped down and scattered, giggling and smoothing down their fur. Nick calmly did the same. "Well there's a trip to the groomer's wasted." Another group was coming forward. The older members of the family including Judy's parents. All seventeen blood relatives and a few others who must have been spouses and in-laws. Nick quickly lost count. "They aren't going to jump on me too, are they?" He eyed them, looking for any sign of fox spray, horns, darts, or stun guns. Or even a shock collar. So far nothing.

"Judy!" They chorused, as if they had practiced. She stepped forward into a huge group hug.

"I… I didn't know the whole family would be here."

Her dad said, "Well you know how it is. You start inviting one and they call another until the whole place is hoppin'."

Judy glanced around. An uncomfortably large number of her relatives were there and now that the greetings were over they were all staring at Nick who cleared his throat nervously as he adjusted his tie. He looked like he was either going to say something or run. Neither seemed like a good idea.

Taking a deep breath she stepped back to stand beside him, slipping her arm around his and said, "Everyone this is Nick Wilde. My partner on the force and my… um… boyfriend." It took some effort but she managed to say the last bit without her voice shaking or lowering to a whisper. Nick laced his fingers with hers and they both squeezed extra tight under the gaze of Judy's family.

The word "boyfriend" seemed to hang in the air and everyone was frozen for a moment, like the end of a TV show just before the credits began to roll. Then there was some uncomfortable shifting. Finally Judy's dad stepped forward. "So um, Nick, I hear tell you saved Jude's life."

"It was more of a mutual thing sir," he said a little awkwardly. Pointing out he would have been just fine if Judy had not forced him to help her seemed petty. Besides there was a good chance he would have eventually been hunted down by polar bears without her anyway. "Really the press blew the whole thing out of proportion." Actually if anything they had undersold it, but saying so would go against his promise. "But yes we had a couple of close calls. Worked out okay in the end though and so far we haven't had any reason to arrest the new mayor. Third time lucky."

"Nick was actually key to solving a big part of my first major case," Judy said. "He did most of the detective work. And he wasn't even a cop yet. Truthfully I got him into a lot of trouble and he really stepped up."

"Really?" One of her sisters asked.

Nick nodded. "It's true. I'm the brains of the outfit. She's just the dumb muscle. Frankly she scares me sometimes the way she's always strong arming suspects. I've seen her make grown wolves cry."

Judy elbowed him. "Nick, stop. They'll think you're serious."

He smiled down at her. "See? There you go hitting me again. So violent."

"Judy always was roughhousing," Bonnie said. "She never knew whent o quit. Just ask her fifth grade teacher."

(Years ago) A young Judy stood at a chalkboard while her teacher, an elderly pig in a purple dress with gray hair said, "She never knew when to quit." Behind her Judy made a face and the teacher hit her with a ruler without even looking.

"Well, any way you slice it, seems to me that without you there Nick we might not have Judy at all, so thank you." He stepped forward and shook Nick's free hand. The crowd of adult rabbits all made comments of a similar nature, though quite a few still seemed a little uneasy. Nick called it a win. Besides technically without him Judy likely would have either been stuck on traffic duty or fired. Even if she had somehow made headway on the case, in all likelihood she would have found Lionheart and his captives and the evil sheep's plan would have worked. Judy would have been fine. It was the predators of Zootopia who would have been in serious trouble.

Still as if they planned it again the women folk broke off and somehow got Judy away from him, leaving Nick with the guys as they took Judy into the house. She gave him a slightly worried smile before disappearing among a sea of bunny ears. Meanwhile the guys all stepped up and gave Nick an obvious once over.

"You know sir I only lied about borrowing Judy's phone because she said she was going to tell you herself…" Nick began.

Mr. Hopps nodded. "Figured as much. Jude always did embarrass easy for all of being such a tomboy."

"I'm not all that good with family myself. My dad died when I was young and my mom a few years back. Some foxes have big families, but we were never one of them."

"Understandable."

One of Judy's brothers, a well muscles rabbit in overalls and a red shirt almost as tall as Nick said, "Just so you know, if you ever hurt Judy…"

"Me hurt her?" Nick asked. "If she doesn't stop punching me in the arm I'm going to have to apply for early retirement and disability."

The guys all laughed and rubbed their own arms. "Yeah, she does have a bit of a rabbit punch."

"Hey Nick, while I got ya here, I've been having some trouble," Mr. Hopps said. "Some of my produce has been going missing lately and I was wondering if you and jude could take a minute to look it over."

Nick had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. The same thing happened at his apartment. Become a cop and suddenly everyone had crimes for you to solve. Missing items, noisy neighbors, and conspiracy theories. Oh well. Better a cop than a big scary predator. "Sure, I'll talk to Judy and we'll look into it."

"Fantastic. In the meantime we have about four hours before dinner's ready. Want to help us work the fields a bit."

Nick hissed through his fangs. There was such a thing as trying too hard in his opinion. "Yeah, about that. I know Judy has told you literally nothing about me, but I'm not really into manual labor. I get cramps filling out reports."

"One of those soft city slicker types, huh?" Another rabbit teased.

Nick smiled. "Call it what you want, so long as I spend my free time relaxing in the sun. I totally respect the lifestyle, but I'm from the 'work smarter not harder' school. I'll eat berries and the like until I pop, but that's where agriculture and I part ways."

"Well there's nothing wrong with that," Mr. Hopps said. "Seems like you do your job well enough."

"You all head off and I'll just hang out here," Nick said firmly.

"Not going to go in and jaw with the women?" The family patriarch teased.

Nick had a sudden image of hell. "Uh, no."

Chuckling the older rabbit said, "Don't blame you. I imagine they're running Judy over the coals as is. Now don't you think we're sexist or anything, Nick. I do my share of cooking and my wife and the girls all do their share of the farming. It's just…"

"They're looking for an excuse to grill Judy about me," Nick said. "Don't worry, I get it. Cops gossip more than people think. Judy and I are kind of used to being the center of attention." It had escaped their attention for weeks that most of not all of their coworkers had been able to smell that Nick and Judy were in a relationship for months regardless of how much they hid it in public. That was without pointing out that they were in fact detectives. In retrospect they had both felt sort of stupid.

Meanwhile Judy was in the kitchen peeling vegetables with her family while being pelted with questions. One at a time unfortunately and with ears pricked up. If it had just been the kids she could have let the wave of curiosity wash over her. The adult bunnies wanted to hear her answers.

"So Judy, you like foxes? You never had a thing for Gideon grey did you?"

"No! Of course not. I know he's changed over the years and I have forgiven him for his past behavior, but he's not really my type."

"Just as well. He's totally gay you know. His husband works in a dairy. The cows feel better for it from what I hear."

"So what's different about…? Nick was it?"

"Yes it's Nick. And what do you mean what's different? They're completely different people. Just because they're both foxes doesn't mean they're going to be exactly the same. Nick's smart, handsome, charming… and he really cares about me. What else would I look or in a guy?" She glared around at them. "Just because he doesn't have long ears and a cotton tail?"

Bonny said, "Now Judy you know it's not like that. We're just surprised and you have to admit it's a bit… unexpected. You always seem to be throwing us curveballs of one kind or another."

"I know mom and I'm sorry about that, but I have to be me."

One of her eldest sisters, Elsie, who was in fact the first of her siblings to come out as gay, said, "It's not like what you went through with me, Joan-Ann, and Freddy mom. In the city animals mingle. And being the first rabbit on the police force, well Judy wasn't likely to meet many other rabbits, now is she. Besides, didn't your younger sister marry a bull? Uncle Jeffrey's great."

"You have to admit Elsie," another sister asked. "A bunny marrying a predator is a little different."

"Whoa, who said anything about marriage?" Judy asked. "You guys are going awfully fast."

"She's right. It's not like she's in the family way."

Bonny looked at Judy. "You know rabbits and foxes can't… I mean are you worried you might want kids someday?"

"Mo," Judy said. "_If_ that happens… and that might be a big if especially any time soon… there are plenty of kids out there who need families. We could adopt a few bunnies, or a couple of foxes, or maybe a skunk or an elephant. It's not something Nick and I have discussed yet. Okay?"

"Whatever you say sweetie."

"So are you two going to tie the knot?"

Judy got a panicked look on her face. "What?!"

"Get married."

"Oh. That. Um, we'll see. I think I'd like to. Again we haven't discussed it yet. He only just met you all after all."

"What did you think I meant?" Blushing Judy just kept peeing.

Elsie leaned in and stage whispered, "So it's true? Zoey made me promise to ask. Is it true canines… you know? Down there?"

Smiling a little Judy said, "Let's just say that Nick and I are compatible and that I'm very satisfied with certain… aspects of Nick's species that are a bit different."

"Oh?" A dozen voices asked, curious and teasing.

"He is rather… large," someone said cautiously. "By rabbit standards."

"He's no Uncle Jeffrey, but everything is fine," Judy aid firmly. "There were a few surprises, but once I got used to one or two things I learned to enjoy some new experiences." She smiled. "Actually it works out nicely. Nick and I have sort of a mandatory cuddle time and it gives us a chance to talk while we wait for things to settle down."

"Mandatory cuddle time?" Somebody asked. Someone else whispered in her ear. "Oh. Oh my. Really? I had no idea! I was thinking more the tongue, but with those teeth…"

Judy decided to head that off at the pass. "It could be worse. I could have fallen for a feline. Then I'd be in trouble."

"I don't know. I hear they make special condoms so the barbs aren't really a problem."

"Barbs?" Someone asked. Suddenly the room was alive with chatter, ranging from innuendo to flat out dirty. The girls started to get into it. Judy took advantage of the distraction and quickly slipped out of the kitchen.

Outside she found Nick lying in the back of her parents' truck enjoying the sun. "Just going to leave me to do all the work?"

"If you thought I was going in there, you are nuts."

"Sly fox."

"And since you're out here, clever bunny. Want to come on up?"

She did, climbing into the back and laying down with her head on his arm. "Sorry about this. I know my family is a lot."

"They love you Carrots. How could I hate them for that? I don't feel a hundred percent welcome, but I figure they just need to get used to me. Like you did." She didn't reply. "That being said, you know I'm going to make you pay or this."

She smiled. "I figured as much. I'm ready for it." She leaned over and gave him a kiss, "Consider that a down payment."

"You owe me way more than that, honey bunny." Judy could not help grinning at the smile on his face. By the way, your dad says he's being ripped off. I figure if we time it right we can excuse ourselves after diner and get plenty of privacy out in the barn."

"You don't want to stay in my old room?"

"Uh, no. Because while your neighbors might be good with how loud we get, a house full of long eared rabbits might be a bit much, don't you think?"

Judy said, "Mr. Wilde, you have no idea. The opportunities for embarrassment I had rowing up in that house were plentiful and varied. And sadly every member of my family remembers every detail."

"Gee maybe we should wait to go out to the barn until I get some decent stories. I think your recorder pen is still in the glove box… oof!" He gasped for breath. "You know there are nonviolent ways to express yourself than hitting me."

"Later fox-boy," Judy purred in his ear. "Though I think you might still get hurt." She reached around and tweaked the base of his tail where the muscle and nerve cluster was. It made his leg kick like Judy's had earlier in the truck.

Suddenly they heard a sound and looked down. Few dozen pairs of eyes were watching them from around the truck. Nick whispered, "It's not just me, right? This is super creepy?"

"Oh yeah," Judy said. The kids giggled. "Ignore them and maybe they'll go away."

"Does that work on the older ones too?"

Judy sighed. "Sadly, no. Them you'll have to deal with all through dinner."

"Well if that doesn't prove I love you…"

Later that night Nick and Judy were staking out (re: making out) in the barn when something began crawling all over them and someone began shouting "Get it off! Get it off!" in a high pitched voice. Later Nick would swear it was Judy.

Judy and Nick arrived to work on Monday. Clawhauser smiled at them and asked, "So how was your weekend? Did you meet the family?"

Judy nodded. "It was fine. Once we got things out of the way 'Uncle' Nick fit right in."

"I'm amazed we got out of there alive," he said.

"Oh I wish I could have been there. It must have been so much fun."

"Well some of the family did say they wanted to come visit. I promised to show them around town," Judy said. "I'm sure I can bring them by here and introduce you."

"Better you than me," Nick said.

"Oh come on, it couldn't have been that bad."

Nick smiled. "It was alright. Plus we even got some work done. Turns out a family of gophers were swiping things from the farm. Judy and I stayed up in the barn and caught them before turning them over to the local sheriff."

Clawhauser laughed. "You guys are just amazing. Well I think it's almost time for Bogo to hand out the assignments. You'd better hurry."

"On our way," Judy said. As they walked down the hallway she said to Nick, "You know we caught those gophers on the first night."

"Yeah, but by not telling anyone we bought ourselves plenty of alone time. Plus we were able to explain those noises coming from the barn." He leaned in and nibbled her ear, careful not to pierce it with a fang. Judy closed her eyes and moaned a bit. "Who knew rabbits could be so noisy?"

She pulled away as they entered the meeting room and took their seats. She did not say it, but Nick was right. It had been a heck of a weekend.

The End

Author's Note

I only recently saw Zootopia and then I read Eric Scwartz's comics based on it. Sadly while he did make some fun about Judy being secretive about their relationship he never got around to them actually meeting the family. So I did it. I hope you enjoyed it. I could have added a bit more action I suppose, but really I have books I'm writing. Thus the fan fics must some times be cut short.


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